Wind operated electric generator



April 4, 1939- G. J. ROBERTS -r AL 2,

WIND OPERATED ELECTRIC GENERATOR Filed March 25, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet l Fly. 1

43 GeraldJ R oberts William H. g g r zg a ds BY M 743; ATTORNEY.

April 4, 1939.

G. J. ROBERTS ET AL WIND OPERATED ELECTRIC GENERATOR Filed March 25, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Gerald JPobert-s William H. Edmonds INVENTORS ATTORNEY.

April 4, 1939.

G. J. ROBERTS ET A}.

WIND OPERATED ELECTRIC GENERATOR Filed March 25, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet3 Fig. 4

Gerald Roberts INVENTORS.

Patented. Apr. 4, 1939 PATENT OFFICE WIND OPERATED ELECTRIC GENERATOR Gerald J. Roberts, Quanah, and William H. Ed-

monds, Goodlett, Tex. said Edmonds assigno'r to W. N. Price Application March 25, 1937, serial No. 133,042

11 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in wind operated electric generators.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved construction of an electric generator in which the armature is rotated in one direction and the field of the generator is rotated in the opposite direction.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a dual propeller wind operated electric generator for automatically retarding the rotation of the propellers when the wind velocity attains a predetermined pressure.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a yielding mounting for one propeller. with a spring tension regulating means whereby va spring and the coacting mount at an end thereof rotates in unison, thereby preventing the twisting of the spring and providing said spring with ad- J'ustment means.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide for the use of regulation field coil and armature.

Another object of this invention is to provide for taking the electric current generated at an axial point of the generator.

While the drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the design may be varied and changes in the minor details may be resorted to to meet specific needs and requirements, within the scope of the invention as claimed without departing from the spirit thereof.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of the invention with parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the invention with part of the wind vane broken away;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the invention; and

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

With more detailedreference to the drawings,

the numeral 1 designates a base on which is mounted bearing supports 8. Between these hearing supports 8, a generator housing 9 is rotatably mounted on bearing sleeves 9a and 9b, journaled in anti-friction bearings 22 for free rotation. Attached to bearing sleeve 9a is a propeller to which rotates the generator housing 9 in a clockwise direction. Field coils II are fixed in the housing 9 and rotate therewith. An armature I4 is mounted within the housing 9, having the usual standard armature shaft 20, journaled in bearings 21 in the housing 9. A spline shaft I3 is arranged in longitudinal alignment with stub shaft 20 and has a bell end l3a keyed to said stub shaft for rotation thereof, said shaft [3 forming an extension of the armature shaft.

A second propeller I2 is slidably mounted on spline shaft l3 and rotates said shaft l3 in a counter-clockwise direction. This shaft rotates the armature M in the opposite direction to the rotation of the field coils; therefore if they are rotating at the same speed but in opposite directions their relative speed of rotation is substantially doubled. Due to the shielding effect of the front propeller and the turbulence caused thereby in close relation to the rear one, it has been found advisable to make the rear propeller slightly longer so that it will have access tounimpeded air currents, to give both propellers substantially the same power. The bearings upon which the generator housing and fields are mounted are usually larger and therefore create more friction than the bearing upon which the armature shaft is journaled, which is another reason why the propeller blades should be longer on the rear propeller than on the front propeller.

A clutch plate I5 is carried by a sleeve [2a fixed to the propeller l2 and is arranged in position to coact with a companion clutch plate l6 fixed-to propeller III. A coil spring I! within the sleeve l2a presses outwardly on the propeller l2 and the sleeve l2a attached thereto normally tending to separate the clutch discs l5 and IS. The spring I! also bears against a bushing [8 arranged on the spline shaft l3 at the end of the bearing sleeve 9a, said bushing preventing the spring I! from receiving any twisting strain. Adjustment washers I 9 are provided between the spring I! and the bushing 18 and may be added or removed until the correct operating pressure for the spring I! is obtained. When the wind prasure on the propeller l2 exceeds the pressure of the spring II, the propeller i2 is forced inwardly, causing engagement of the clutch discs l5 and I6, retarding relative rotation of the armature and field coils and preventing injury to the generator by excessively high speed rotation.

The generator armature is provided with the usual collectors and brushes. As the current is generated it is conducted by means of wire 23 to a binding post 24 which is in the form of a screwinsulated from the surrounding metallic parts by bushing 25. Screw post 24 connects with an axial metal conductor plug 26 which is insulated from the bearing sleeve 912, by insulating bushing 21. A spring-pressed brush 28 contacts the rotating axial metal plug 28 andpicks up the current that is generated by the generator. A bushing 29 insulates the brush 2| from surrounding metal part of a supporting bracket to carried by one of the supports 8. An electrical conductor directs the current from brush 28 to an axial bolt ii that passes through the center of a pivoted mounting for the base 1 of the generator. The pivoted mounting consists of an inner tubular member 32 screwed into base I with a nut 33 at the lower end thereof which prevents wind displacement. An outer tubular member 34 surrounds the inner tubular member 32 and a thrust bearing 35 is disposed between the base I and the tubular member ll. The outer tubular member 34 is supported by being screwed into the-top of a tower 4|. By this arrangement free and easy turning of the generating unit is permitted.

The generator is enclosed by a housing 5| attached to the supports 8, and a supporting bar 5! extends over the housing between the supports i. A wind vane 30 is carried by a bar l6 pivoted at 48 on the supporting bar 55, and is provided with a brace pivoted at 41 coaxially with the pivot ll. Normally the vane is maintained in a fixed pofltion relative to the generator in alignment with the propellers, by means of a spring 56 extending between bar 46 and an arm 550 (Fig. 2) tending to hold the bar Mi against astop 55b, for normal operation of the propellers.

However, the vane 39 may be shifted to a position at right angles to the propellers Ill and I! for non-operation thereof, if desired, by means of a cable ll operating around a segment H and having one end attached to the bar 46 and'the other end of said cable extending over a guide a to an end of an operating bar 38. The lower end of the bar 38 is attached to a shoulderedsleeve 31 slidably mounted on and rotatable on the tubular member 34 for turning movement with the generator unit. A yoke 38 surrounds and engages the sleeve 31 and has a bail ll attached to opposite sides thereof, said ball lll being slidable through the top of the tower II". A cable 42 is connected with the bail III for operating the same to act through the yoke 36 and sleeve 31 for pulling on the cable 43 and thereby swinging the vane 39 against the tension of the spring it to a position at right angles to the propellers II and I2.

A brush ll is resiliently mounted on an insulated block I in tower ll in bearing contact with axial bolt ii, and a conduit." leads from said brush II to the-desired point where the electricity-iato be used. The tower ll should be grounded, as by a wire 2. A brush 53 is mount-- ed upon support 8 and contacts the generator housing I, thus providing a positive ground for the generator through the tower.

The field coils and armature are of the usual construction and relation and need not be described in detail. By utilizing end extensions on the armature shaft, a'standard armature may be used but extension end plates should be provided for the generator housing.

We claim:

1. In a wind operated electric generator, the wmbination of generating elements, means mounting said elements for relative rotation,

propellers connected respectively with the elements, and means for frictionally reducing ex oessiv'e relative rotation between the propellers.

2. In a wind operated electric generator, the combination of electric generating elements. means mounting said elements for relative rotation, propellers connected with the respective elements, means mounting said propellers for relative axial movements, and means actuated by said relative axial movements for friction'ally reducing the relative rotation of the propellers.

3. In a wind operated electric generator, the combination of electric generating elements, means mounting said elements for relative rotation, a propeller connected with each of said elements for rotating the same independently of the other, means mounting one of said propellers for axial movement relative to the other, and frictional means for reducing relative rotation between the propellers upon said axial movement.

4. In a wind operated generator, the combination of electric generating elements, means mounting said elements for rotation relative to each other, a propeller connected with each of said elements for rotating the same, means mounting one of said propellers for axial movement relative to the other, and clutch elements arranged between the propellers, one of said clutch elements being connected with the movable propeller for movement thereby into engagement with another clutch element to reduce relative rotation between the propellers upon said tation, a wind operated propeller connected with each of said elements for rotating the same, means mounting one of said propellers for axial movement relative to the other, clutch elements connected respectively with the propellers and ar- ,ranged therebetween in position for frictional engagement upon said axial movement oi the movable propeller toward the other to reduce excessive relative rotation of the propellers.

6. In a wind operated electric generator, the combination 'of electric generating elements, means mounting said elements for relative rotation, a wind operated propeller connected with each of said elements for rotating the same, means mounting one of said propellers for axial movement relative to the other, clutch elements connected respectively with the propellers and arranged'therebetween in position for frictional engagement upon said axial movement of the movable propeller toward the otherito reduce excessive relative rotation of the propellers, resilient means acting on the movable propeller and normally tending to move the same away from the other propeller, and a wind vane connected with the generator for holding the propellers in the desired position.

'I. In a wind operated electric generator, the combination of electric generating elements, means mounting said elementsfor relative rotation, shafts connected with the respective elements, propellers mounted on the shafts for rotating the elements independently of each other, one of said propellers being mounted for axial sliding movement relative to the other, friction clutch elements connected respectively with the propellers in position for engagement upon said axial movement of the movable propeller, and resilient means acting on the movable propeller normally tending to hold the clutch elements separated.

8. In a wind operated electric generator, the combination J of electric generating elements, means mounting said elements for relative rotation, shafts connected with the respective elements, propellers mounted on the shafts for rotatingthe elements independently of each other, one

of said propellers being mounted for axial sliding movement relative to the other, friction clutch elements connected respectively with the pro-- able propeller in position for hearing of the resilient means against said bushing, and means adjusting the tension of said resilient means.

9. In a wind operated electric generator, the

combination of electric generating field and armafor ture, said armature having an armature shaft,

a housing carrying said field and having bearings therein journaling opposite ends of the armature shaft, a field rotating propeller fixed to said housing, an extension shaft in axial alignment with the armature shaft and having a coupling connecting the same with the end of said armature shaft, said extension shaft being journaled in a portion of the housing and a propeller mounted on said extension shaft.

10. In an electric generator, the combination of electric generating elements, means mounting said elements for relative rotation, one of said elements having an armature shaft, a plug arranged in axial alignment with the armature shaft and electrically connected with another of said elements, and a brush bearing against an end of said plug.

11. In an electric generator, the combination of electric generating field and armature having an armature shaft, said field having 'a sleeve connected therewith, means mounting said field and armature for relative rotation coaxially, an electric plug mounted in the sleeve in axial alignment with the armature shaft and insulated therefrom, means connecting said plug with the field, and a brush contact bearing against the end of said plug.

, GERALD J. ROBERTS.

WILLIAM H. EDMONDS. 

